Chapter 29
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 28
Chapter Title: Cleanup (2)
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The deepest, darkest corner of Sector 7.
There sat a fortress—a hideout remodeled from an abandoned slaughterhouse by a gang of thugs.
Roughly twenty men guarded the walls and the front gate alone.
Assassinating them one by one would take until sunrise, and charging straight in would just turn him into mincemeat under a barrage of blades or a pincushion of arrows.
"...A lot of them."
Baekrin, lying prone beside him with her hood pulled low, muttered flatly.
"Yeah, I said there were a lot."
"Not this many."
Baekrin whispered in a dissatisfied tone.
Worried she might try to bolt now, Leon drove the point home first.
"Unilateral contract cancellation means double the penalty fee."
"......"
"That strategy meeting earlier exposed you as a total beggar to everyone."
He glared at her smug face, laying down the law.
"So if you can't afford to pay up, shut your mouth and..."
"Five gold."
She didn't even blink before spouting nonsense.
"......What?"
"Success fee. Bump it to five gold."
"You crazy bandit bitch."
"Take it or leave it. Eat the penalty if you want."
She rolled onto her back, sprawling out lazily.
Leon was speechless with outrage.
"......Hah."
But what could he do?
This woman was his only card right now.
He let out a deep sigh and nodded.
"Fine. Five gold. I'll pay up."
"Sweet. My employer's a real softie... I mean, good guy."
"What was that, you mutt?"
How the hell had he ended up hiring this insufferable woman?
No use regretting it now, though.
"But..."
He pulled three heavy leather pouches from his bosom.
They were stuffed full of silver and copper coins he'd exchanged from various spots ahead of time, clinking with a solid metallic ring.
"Do the job right."
"Screw up, and you get nothing."
Only then did Baekrin straighten up properly.
She slipped several kunai between her fingers.
"Don't worry. I earn my keep."
"Your keep costs a damn fortune."
And she'd eaten more than enough to justify it, to boot.
Preparations were complete.
Leon steadied his breathing and rose in the shadows.
"Here we go."
With all his might, he kicked the three pouches high into the air one after another.
"Catch, you beggar scum!!"
The leather bags arced beautifully across the night sky.
The thugs guarding the fortress all looked up at once.
"......Huh?"
"What the hell's that?"
The moment they dumbly craned their necks—
Shwick— whoosh—!
Black flashes shot from Baekrin's fingertips, slicing the air with sharp bursts.
The kunai sliced open the pouches mid-flight with pinpoint accuracy.
Clattercrash—!!
It was an explosion. Not of gunpowder, but of capital.
Hundreds of silver coins and coppers rained down from the burst pouches, scattering across the night sky.
Glistening metal reflecting torchlight poured down like a glorious shower.
It was mesmerizing, like summer fireworks.
This was the true Mesh Explosion.
"......Huh?"
"M-money! Shit!"
"Silver coins! Silver's falling from the sky!!"
Just as expected.
They dropped their weapons, flailing arms skyward in a frenzy.
The clinking of coins hitting the ground bewitched their minds, their reason, their vigilance completely.
"Now!"
Leon plunged into the heart of the chaos.
Their eyes were glued to the heavens. He was invisible as he raced across the ground.
Slash!
His dagger carved the ankle of the frontmost thug.
The moment the man screamed and collapsed, Leon planted a foot on his back and leaped.
"Gahk!"
He stabbed the next one's throat, then kicked the one beside him square in the solar plexus.
Three down in an instant, rolling on the dirt.
"Enemy!"
"Don't pick 'em up! You bastards!"
"You don't pick 'em up, you dogshit!!"
As he diced through the panicking mob like ground meat, drawing their eyes,
Baekrin slipped like a shadow to the heavy iron door of the slaughterhouse.
Clang! Claaang!
She smashed the bolt and flung the door wide open.
"Employer! In you go!"
"Right!"
Ignoring the confused thugs, Leon hurled himself inside.
The moment they were in,
The thugs outside snapped to and came charging with shouts.
"Grab those bastards!!"
"They're inside! Kill 'em!!"
The footsteps of the ones outside thundered like an earthquake.
They surged toward the narrow entrance like a tidal wave.
Leon didn't stop, bolting deeper into the building as he yelled.
"Block the door!"
"Got it!"
Instead of following, Baekrin turned and planted herself at the entrance.
She gripped her curved swords in both hands, barring the narrow passage.
"Wanna pass? Pay the toll."
Shwick! Swoosh!
The heads of the frontrunners flew into the air.
Baekrin exploited the tight terrain,
Turning the entrance into a perfect kill funnel.
Leon glanced back briefly,
'I'll leave the rear to her.'
Then dashed deeper into the building.
No telling how long she'd hold, but
So far, the plan was a success.
They'd breached the building,
And splitting inside from outside halved the enemies to deal with.
For now, sweep the interior fast.
"Who the hell are you!!"
"Intruders!!"
The first-floor workshop.
A vast space thick with acrid smoke and the stench of blood assaulting the nose.
Thugs working inside poured out, weapons in hand.
Roughly eight—no, ten of them.
Armed with slaughter knives, meat hooks, massive hammers—
All perfect for turning people into mince.
"Where's your boss?"
Leon scanned them as he reversed his grip on his dagger.
"Tell him to come out."
"You crazy fuck... Kill him!!"
The leader swung a huge cleaver as he charged.
No room to dodge or hide. Time for a real brawl.
As his arm rose, Leon dove into his guard.
Thud!
"Guhk!"
A kick shattered the man's knee, toppling him,
And Leon rammed his dagger under the falling jaw.
Squelch!
"Grrrk..."
No time for death rattles—Leon grabbed the corpse by the collar and hauled it up.
Using it as a shield, he shoved forward.
"Outta the way! Dammit!"
The next hesitated—
Crunch!
A flying hammer pulverized the corpse's shoulder.
Dull rupture, arm dangling limp.
"Fuckin' hell."
The shock jarred his wrist.
Leon flung the mangled body at the hammer guy, then slashed deep into the left thug's thigh.
Slash.
"Aaaagh!!"
As he crumpled screaming, Leon stomped his neck and leaped.
But there were too many.
Shing!
"......Ngh!"
A sharp hook grazed his left shoulder.
Hot tear of flesh. Blood soaked his clothes.
Leon gritted his teeth and rolled across the floor.
The workshop floor slick with beast blood and guts from their work.
He used it—slid like skating, bursting through their encirclement groin-first.
"You rat bastard!"
They chased in a herd.
He grabbed and hurled whatever—rusty saw, iron chain, severed pig head.
"Eat this!"
Crash!
A thug staggered from the flying pig skull.
Leon snatched a meat hook from the wall. Heavy grip.
"Die!!"
A cleaver aimed for his neck.
Leon parried with his dagger, then smashed the hook into the man's crown with his off-hand.
Crunch—!
"Gaaaah!!"
Skull pierced. Eyes rolled back in spasms.
Leon kicked the hooked corpse free and spat bloody saliva.
"Pah. Tough bastards."
Breath burned to his throat.
Shoulder throbbed, body slick with sweat and gore.
Stopping meant becoming mince.
"He's tiring! Push!"
Five charged at once.
Leon glared, kicking their dropped weapons.
Cling! Claaang!
As blades flew, blinding them—
He leaped into the nearest one's chest.
Stab!
The knife grazed his side.
Burning scream in his nerves, but he endured.
Broke the arm, then stabbed the throat like a bite.
"Gehk...!"
Blood fountained, drenching his face.
Before the body hit, he hurled his dagger at the next's eyes.
"Aaaagh!!"
Missed the eye, hit the brow.
Face-knifed thug toppled into the followers, domino chaos.
"Hah... hah..."
Two left.
They backed away from the gore-soaked, heaving Leon.
"What, not coming?"
He yanked his dagger free with a grin.
"Fine. I'll come to you."
No hesitation—he charged.
Terror made their swings sloppy.
Slash. Stab.
Throat slit, heart pierced.
Thud.
Last one down.
"......"
Brief silence.
Lungs heaving like they'd burst from his throat,
As he caught his breath—
......Thud... thud
... Crash! Thud! Boom!
It didn't last.
"He's there! Grab him!"
"Kill the bastard!!"
Crash!
Stairs to the second floor boomed.
Upstairs reinforcements, drawn by the noise, swarmed down.
Another ten, easy.
"Hah... fuck."
Leon wiped blood-smeared face with bloody hand, rolling his aching shoulder.
"Getting impatient, huh? Won't even let me breathe."
Body screamed in protest, but no rest.
He snatched a decent hand axe from the floor litter,
And dropped into stance again.
"Come on, I'll dice you all, you fucks."
Before they hit bottom, he launched first.
Meanwhile, same time.
Slaughterhouse entrance.
"Break through! Just kill that one bitch!"
"Push!!"
Dozens of gang members surged at the narrow entrance like waves.
Shouts, roars, clashing metal tore the night air.
But ahead stood a small, sturdy breakwater.
Whish—!
Wind sliced.
Another head floated free.
"......Huh?"
As followers faltered,
The gray-cloaked girl, Baekrin, flicked her curved sword clean and yawned.
"Boring."
Hood long flipped back,
Her jet-black ponytail swayed lightly in the night breeze.
Leaning cockily against the doorframe,
She looked down on the mob with pity.
"All you've got hanging between your legs, and this is the best you can do?"
"Y-you bitch...!"
"Rip her apart and fuck the corpse!!"
They bellowed in rage.
Vulgar curses, murderous intent.
But she didn't flinch.
No—she smirked, delighted.
"Fuck it? Heh... Try me."
Fwoosh—!
Baekrin's form blurred.
As their blades cut air, she'd already slipped into their blind spot.
Slash. Flick.
The curved sword danced.
Not brute force,
But fluid like flowing water, sly like a serpent.
Blade grazed only vitals—wrists, ankles, napes.
"Argh! My hand!"
"Gaaah! Eyes! My eyes!!"
Screams chained out.
Baekrin mastered the narrow entrance terrain.
Limited numbers could attack at once.
She turned it into dozens of 1v1s, not 1vMany.
"Move! I'll do it!"
A hulking brute swung a massive flail forward.
Power to shatter the door pillar.
But Baekrin didn't dodge.
She stepped lightly onto the flail and leaped.
"Ugh... pig stink."
Mid-air spin, accelerating into a crown chop.
Crunch!
"Grok..."
The giant collapsed, blocking the entrance.
Followers tripped over the corpse, lines in total disarray.
Baekrin landed lightly, dusting her cloak.
Over ten bodies already at her feet.
Standing atop them, her beautiful face curved in a faint smile.
"Who wants to die next?"
Overwhelming might. They retreated in terror.
No one dared step up, just eyeing each other.
"......Huh? Not coming anymore?"
Baekrin tilted her head.
Then glanced back into the building.
Boom! Crash! Aaaargh!
Still chaos and screams inside.
That trashy employer was surely stirring it up.
'My job's holding here, sure...'
She pouted.
'But if he croaks, who pays me?'
Five gold remaining. Couldn't let that cashline snap.
"Guess not."
Baekrin readjusted her grip,
And shot toward the trembling outsiders.
Fwoosh—!
Black afterimage slashed their midst.
"Gotta kill 'em quick and check."
"That employer's such a liability."
No longer a defensive shield,
But a spear to cut breath short.